Save the Street Children

There are estimated to be around 1.5 million children living on the streets here in the Philippines.Street children are minors who live and survive on the streets.They often grow up in public landfills,train stations or under the bridges of the major cities.Because of conflicts with their family,these children don't want to or can't return home.The phenomenon of street children is multifaceted.The combination of familial,economic,social,and political factors play an important role in their situation.It is therefore very difficult to single out one or more causes.However,children who have been questioned say that family,abuse,war and poverty are often why they left for the streets.

Street children are confronted by a large number of problems.In fact,growing up in an environment generally regarded as dangerous,they incur considerable risks.As a consequence,some of their rights are very often compromised.Street children often don't have access to a healthy and sufficient diet.Sometimes they don't even have food,because living on the streets,they don't produce any and don't have enough money to buy.The health of children growing up on the streets is strongly compromised.In fact,they don't have access to sanitary facilities;they are often dirty and infested with fleas.Also,because of their lack of hygiene,street children are exposed to different diseases.Their health is often troubling.Without a family to take care of them,these youth must take care of themselves.Additionally,street children are obviously not educated.Because of this,they don't have the same opportunities as other children.In fact,they do not see a future for themselves,and because they have no professional training,they are hindered from finding a job and from finally leaving the streets.

The problem of street children is dependent on their situation and not on their status.In fact,each child has a personal history with the street that cannot be generalized.Because of this,the care of street children must,to be effective,hinge on the different situations on the streets.

This time we are starting an online petition,which we are going to hand over to our Empowerment Technology teacher.We will also display photos of street children in front of the class.

We are starting this petition in hopes of bringing the issue into the public spotlight and we need your voice to save and care for the street children here in the Philippines and elsewhere from hunger and homelessness.No child should die on the street for this or any other reason,so please sign the petition and support us.This will be one,in a series of steps,to ensure a safer and better future for all the street children who have been abandoned by their parents and society.